Sun screen device with a flexible screen body that can be arbitrarily adjusted

ABSTRACT

A sun screen device includes a pair of slide rails, a shaft unit, a screen unit, a pair of cord units, and a pair of torque transmission members. The shaft unit includes a pair of seat members, and a shaft member mounted rotatably on the seat members. The screen unit includes a tubular roller sleeved coaxially on and coupled co-rotatably to the shaft member, and a flexible screen body secured to the tubular roller and movable along the slide rails. Each of the cord units includes a cord spool mounted on the shaft member, a pulley mounted rotatably on one of the slide rails, and a pull cord wound on the cord spool, trained on the pulley, and connected to the flexible screen body. Each of the torque transmission members is coupled co-rotatably to the tubular roller and one of the cord spools.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a sun screen device, more particularly to a sunscreen device with a flexible screen body that can be arbitrarilyadjusted.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional sun screen device, which is used for covering anduncovering a sun roof of an automobile, includes a pair of elongateslide rails, first and second shaft units, and first and second screenunits.

Each of the slide rails extends in a first direction, and has first andsecond rail ends that are opposite to each other in the first direction.The slide rails are spaced apart from each other in a second direction.The first end of each of the slide rails is formed with a firstpositioning groove. The second end of each of the slide rails is formedwith a second positioning groove.

The first shaft unit is disposed proximate to the first rail ends of theslide rails. The first shaft unit includes a first pair of seat membersthat are spaced apart from each other in the second direction, and afirst shaft member that extends in the second direction and that hasopposite shaft end portions mounted rotatably and respectively on thefirst pair of seat members, and a middle shaft portion between the shaftend portions of the first shaft member.

Similarly, the second shaft unit is disposed proximate to the secondrail ends of the slide rails. The second shaft unit includes a secondpair of seat members that are spaced apart from each other in the seconddirection, and a second shaft member that extends in the seconddirection and that has opposite shaft end portions mounted rotatably andrespectively on the second pair of seat members, and a middle shaftportion between the shaft end portions of the second shaft member.

The first screen unit includes a first flexible screen body and a firstoperating member. The first flexible screen body has a securing end thatis secured to the first shaft member, and a terminating end that isopposite to the securing end and that is movable in the first directionalong the slide rails. The first operating member is connected to theterminating end of the first screen body, extends in the seconddirection, and has first and second ends coupled slidably andrespectively to the slide rails. Each of the first and second ends ofthe first operating member is formed with a positioning protrusion.

Similarly, the second screen unit includes a second flexible screen bodyand a second operating member. The second flexible screen body has asecuring end that is secured to the second shaft member, and aterminating end that is opposite to the securing end and that is movablein the first direction along the slide rails. The second screen body hasa mesh size different from that of the first screen body. The secondoperating member is connected to the terminating end of the secondscreen body, extends in the second direction, and has first and secondends coupled slidably and respectively to the slide rails. Each of thefirst and second ends of the second operating member is formed with apositioning protrusion.

In operation, when it is desired to cover the sun roof of theautomobile, the first (or second) operating member is moved such thatthe terminating end of the first (or second) screen body moves in thefirst direction along the slide rails away from the first (or second)shaft unit. Then, the positioning protrusions of the first (or second)operating member are engaged respectively to the second (or first)positioning grooves in the slide rails. At this time, when it is desiredto uncover the sun roof of the automobile, the positioning protrusionsof the first (or second) operating member are disengaged respectivelyfrom the second (or first) positioning grooves in the slide rails. Then,the first (or second) operating member is moved such that theterminating end of the first (or second) screen body moves in the firstdirection along the slide rails toward the first (or second) shaft unit.

Although the aforementioned conventional sun screen device achieves itsintended purpose, since the operating members of the screen units canonly be positioned such that the first (or second) screen body eitherfully covers or fully uncovers the sun roof of the automobile, it is notfeasible to arbitrarily control the amount of sunlight passing throughthe sun roof of the automobile when the aforesaid conventional sunscreen device is in use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a sunscreen device that can overcome the aforesaid drawback of the prior art.

According to the present invention, a sun screen device comprises a pairof elongate slide rails, a shaft unit, a screen unit, a pair of cordunits, and a pair of torque transmission members. Each of the elongateslide rails extends in a first direction, and has first and second railends that are opposite to each other in the first direction. The sliderails are spaced apart from each other in a second direction. The shaftunit is disposed proximate to the first rail ends of the slide rails.The shaft unit includes a pair of seat members and a shaft member. Theseat members are spaced apart from each other in the second direction.The shaft member extends in the second direction, and has opposite shaftend portions mounted rotatably and respectively on the seat members, anda middle shaft portion between the shaft end portions. The screen unitincludes a tubular roller and a flexible screen body. The tubular rolleris sleeved coaxially on and is coupled co-rotatably to the middle shaftportion of the shaft member. The flexible screen body has a securing endsecured to the tubular roller, and a terminating end opposite to thesecuring end. The terminating end of the screen body is movable in thefirst direction along the slide rails. Each of the cord units includes acord spool mounted rotatably on a respective one of the shaft endportions of the shaft member, a pulley mounted rotatably on the secondrail end of a respective one of the slide rails, and a pull cord woundon the cord spool, trained on the pulley, and connected to theterminating end of the screen body. Each of the torque transmissionmembers has a first end coupled co-rotatably to the tubular roller, anda second end coupled co-rotatably to the cord spool of a respective oneof the cord units. When the terminating end of the screen body is movedin the first direction along the slide rails away from the shaft unit,this results in unwinding of the screen body from the tubular roller,rotation of the tubular roller in a first angular direction, androtation of the cord spools of the cord units in the first angulardirection due to torque transmitting action of the torque transmissionmembers. Accordingly, the pull cords of the cord units are wound on thecord spools. On the other hand, when the terminating end of the screenbody is moved in the first direction along the slide rails toward theshaft unit, this results in unwinding of the pull cords of the cordunits from the cord spools, rotation of the cord spools in a secondangular direction opposite to the first angular direction, and rotationof the tubular roller in the second angular direction due to the torquetransmitting action of the torque transmission members. Accordingly, thescreen body is wound on the tubular roller.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent in the following detailed description of the preferredembodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a sun screendevice according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partly sectional view of the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a partly sectional view of the preferred embodiment toillustrate a flexible screen body being moved in a first direction;

FIG. 4 is a partly sectional view of the preferred embodiment toillustrate the flexible screen body being unwound from a tubular roller;

FIG. 5 is a partly sectional view of the preferred embodiment toillustrate the flexible screen body being moved in a second direction;and

FIG. 6 is a partly sectional view of the preferred embodiment toillustrate the flexible screen body being wound on the tubular roller.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the preferred embodiment of a sun screendevice according to this invention is shown to include a pair ofelongate slide rails 2, a shaft unit 3, a screen unit 4, a pair of cordunits 5, and a pair of torque transmission members 6.

The sun screen device is adapted to be mounted beneath and is operableso as to block sunlight passing through a sun roof (not shown) of anautomobile (not shown).

Each of the slide rails 2 extends in a first direction, and has firstand second rail ends 2l, 26 that are opposite to each other in the firstdirection. The slide rails 2 are spaced apart from each other in asecond direction transverse to the first direction.

The shaft unit 3 is disposed proximate to the first rail ends 21 of theslide rails 2. In this embodiment, the shaft unit 3 includes a pair ofseat members 31 that are spaced apart from each other in the seconddirection, and a shaft member 32 that extends in the second directionand that has opposite shaft end portions 321, 322 mounted rotatably andrespectively on the seat members 31, and a middle shaft portion 323between the shaft end portions 321, 322.

The screen unit 4 includes a tubular roller 41, a flexible screen body43, a pair of coupling members 42, and an elongate operating member 44.The tubular roller 41 is sleeved coaxially on and is coupledco-rotatably to the middle shaft portion 323 of the shaft member 32. Theflexible screen body 43 has a securing end 431 that is secured to thetubular roller 41, and a terminating end 432 that is opposite to thesecuring end 431 and that is movable in the first direction along theslide rails 2. The coupling members 42 are disposed in the tubularroller 41 and serve to couple co-rotatably the tubular roller 41 to themiddle shaft portion 323 of the shaft member 32. The operating member 44is connected to the terminating end 432 of the screen body 43, extendsin the second direction, and has opposite ends coupled slidably andrespectively to the slide rails 2.

Each of the cord units 5 includes a cord spool 51, a pulley 52, and apull cord 53. The cord spool 51 of each of the cord units 5 is mountedrotatably on a respective one of the shaft end portions 321, 322 of theshaft member 32. The pulley 52 of each of the cord units 5 is mountedrotatably on the second rail end 26 of a respective one of the sliderails 2. The pull cord 53 of each of the cord units 5 has a windingsection that is connected to and that is wound on the cord spool 51, anintermediate cord section that extends from the winding section and thatis trained on the pulley 52, and a connecting section that extends fromthe intermediate cord section and that is connected to the operatingmember 44 of the screen unit 4 such that the pull cords 53 are connectedindirectly to the terminating end 432 of the screen body 43 via theoperating member 44.

Each of the torque transmission members 6 is a spiral spring member thatis sleeved on the shaft member 32 and that is disposed in the tubularroller 41. In particular, each of the torque transmission members 6 hasa first end 61 connected to a respective one of the coupling members 42to couple co-rotatably with the tubular roller 41, and a second end 62coupled co-rotatably to the cord spool 51 of a respective one of thecord units 5. Preferably, the torque transmission members 6 arepre-tensioned so as to maintain the screen body 43 and the pull cords 53in a tautened state.

In operation, referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, when an external force isapplied to the operating member 44 such that the terminating end 432 ofthe screen body 43 moves in the first direction along the slide rails 2away from the shaft unit 3, as indicated by arrow (A), the screen body43 unwinds from the tubular roller 41. This results in rotation of thetubular roller 41 in the first angular direction, as indicated by thearrow (B), which in turn, rotates the cord spools 51 of the cord units 5in the first angular direction due to torque transmitting action of thetorque transmission members 6. Accordingly, the pull cords 53 of thecord units 5 are wound on the cord spools 51.

Conversely, referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, when an external force isapplied to the operating member 44 such that the terminating end 432 ofthe screen body 43 moves in the first direction along the slide rails 2toward the shaft unit 3, as indicated by arrow (C), the pull cords 53 ofthe cord units 5 unwind from the cord spools 51. This results inrotation of cord spools 51 in a second angular direction opposite to thefirst angular direction, as indicated by arrow (D) , which in turn,rotates the tubular roller 41 in the second angular direction due to thetorque transmitting action of the torque transmission members 6.Accordingly, the screen body 43 is wound on the tubular roller 41.

It is noted that when the operating member 44 is released from theexternal force, the pre-tensioned torque transmission members 6 do notserve to wind the screen body 43 on the tubular roller 41 and only serveto prevent slackening of the screen body 43 and the pull cords 53.Therefore, the screen body 43 can be arbitrarily adjusted. As such, theamount of sunlight passing through the sun roof of the automobile can becontrolled.

While the present invention has been described in connection with whatis considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isunderstood that this invention is not limited to the disclosedembodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included withinthe spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompassall such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

1. A sun screen device comprising: a pair of elongate slide rails, eachof which extends in a first direction and has first and second rail endsthat are opposite to each other in the first direction, said slide railsbeing spaced apart from each other in a second direction; a shaft unitdisposed proximate to said first rail ends of said slide rails, saidshaft unit including a pair of seat members that are spaced apart fromeach other in the second direction, and a shaft member that extends inthe second direction and that has opposite shaft end portions mountedrotatably and respectively on said seat members, and a middle shaftportion between said shaft end portions; a screen unit including atubular roller sleeved coaxially on and coupled co-rotatably to saidmiddle shaft portion of said shaft member, and a flexible screen bodyhaving a securing end secured to said tubular roller and a terminatingend opposite to said securing end, said terminating end of said screenbody being movable in the first direction along said slide rails; a pairof cord units, each of which includes a cord spool mounted rotatably ona respective one of said shaft end portions of said shaft member, apulley mounted rotatably on said second rail end of a respective one ofsaid slide rails, and a pull cord wound on said cord spool, trained onsaid pulley, and connected to said terminating end of said screen body;and a pair of torque transmission members, each of which has a first endcoupled co-rotatably to said tubular roller, and a second end coupledco-rotatably to said cord spool of a respective one of said cord units;wherein movement of said terminating end of said screen body in thefirst direction along said slide rails away from said shaft unit resultsin unwinding of said screen body from said tubular roller, rotation ofsaid tubular roller in a first angular direction, and rotation of saidcord spools of said cord units in the first angular direction due totorque transmitting action of said torque transmission members, therebywinding said pull cords of said cord units on said cord spools; whereinmovement of said terminating end of said screen body in the firstdirection along said slide rails toward said shaft unit results inunwinding of said pull cords of said cord units from said cord spools,rotation of said cord spools in a second angular direction opposite tothe first angular direction, and rotation of said tubular roller in thesecond angular direction due to the torque transmitting action of saidtorque transmission members, thereby winding said screen body on saidtubular roller.
 2. The sun screen device as claimed in claim 1, whereinsaid screen unit further includes an elongate operating member that isconnected to said terminating end of said screen body, that extends inthe second direction, and that has opposite ends coupled slidably andrespectively to said slide rails.
 3. The sun screen device as claimed inclaim 2, wherein said pull cord of each of said cord units has a windingsection connected to and wound on said cord spool, an intermediate cordsection extending from said winding section and trained on said pulley,and a connecting section extending from said intermediate cord sectionand connected to said operating member such that said pull cords areconnected indirectly to said terminating end of said screen body viasaid operating member.
 4. The sun screen device as claimed in claim 1,wherein said screen unit further includes a coupling member disposed insaid tubular roller and disposed to couple co-rotatably said tubularroller to said middle shaft portion of said shaft member.
 5. The sunscreen device as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of said torquetransmission members is a spiral spring member that is sleeved on saidshaft member and that is disposed in said tubular roller, said first endof each of said torque transmission members being connected to saidcoupling member to couple co-rotatably with said tubular roller.